Frequently Asked Questions2

What is zoning and how do I know what my property is zoned?
Zoning is a local government's ability to regulate the use and development of land. It is designed to protect property values by preventing the location of incompatible uses in close proximity to each other. Property zoning can be found on our Zoning Map. The uses and regulations of the zoning can be found in the Zoning CodeunderArticle IV. Use Charts and Regulations.

Does the city have plans or a plat of my home?
Although the City does have plans and plats of homes, they are only kept for a year after the building date. After that one year holding, you have to refer to the builder to retrieve those documents.

How can I obtain specific information on upcoming zoning cases?
Zoning cases can be found on the Development Cases page.

What is a plat and the plat process?
A map of a subdivision that represents a tract of land, showing the boundaries and location of individual properties, streets, easements and other pertinent information. After a plat is approved it is filed with the appropriate county clerk and becomes a legal lot of record for which a building permit can be issued. Plat applications can be found underApplications and Submittal Guidelines
What is a conditional use permit?
Conditional Use Permits are required for certain uses listed in the Permitted Use Charts in the City of Cedar Hill Zoning Ordinance. All applications for Conditional Use Permits require a site plan drawn to scale and showing general arrangement of the project as indicated on the Site Plan Checklist. A meeting with the Planning Staff is recommended before submitting an application. The following steps must be followed before the City Council can consider a conditional use permit application:

What is the role of the Planning and Zoning Commission?The Planning and Zoning Commission is a recommending body to the City Council on all zoning, platting, and development matters. The Planning and Zoning Commission meets every first and third Tuesday of the month at 6:00 pm in the "Turk" Cannady Room. The Schedule of Development Application Deadlines can be found on the Applications and Submittal Guidelinespage. This chart allows for an estimation of the application and review process.

Submission of plans by a particular submittal date DOES NOTguarantee automatic scheduling for a specific Planning and Zoning (P&Z) Commission meeting date. P&Z and City Council meetings are subject to cancellation at the discretion of the P&Z Commission and City Council. The Schedule of Development Application Deadlines is updated every December for the following year.

What are the application fees?
Application fees can be found on our Development Fee Calculator page. Along with a chart of the development fees, a calculator can also be found on the page to total the service fees.

What is the difference between the Comprehensive Plan and the Zoning Ordinance?
The Comprehensive Plan is a long-range plan intended to direct growth and physical development of a community. The plan includes policies relative to physical development, transportation, parks and open space and economic development. The plan serves as a basis for future development recommendations. Whereas, the Zoning Ordinance regulates the use of land site development. It controls size of land area, size of yards, building coverage, height of structures, amount of landscaping, etc.

Can I get a variance?The Zoning Board of Adjustment and Appeals (ZBA) is a five member, quasi-judicial board that is empowered to grant variances from the Cedar Hill Zoning Code, as prescribed by the Texas Local Government Code and the Cedar Hill Zoning Code.

What is a pre-development meeting and how do I schedule one?A pre-development meeting is a preliminary informational meeting between an applicant and staff. This meeting is used to help the applicant prepare to submit a development application, and/or identify any issues that the proposed project may encounter after submittal. A meeting can be scheduled with the Planning and Zoning admin at this email.

How do I get a copy of the zoning map?
The Zoning Map can be found in a PDF format on our Zoning page. A copy of the Zoning Map can also be purchased through the Department. For fees and contact information, please refer to the Development Fee Calculator page.